THE HORSEPOWER RACE: It Doesn't Endanger Safety

"We urge manufacturers to tone
down their increasing emphasis on more and more horsepower and higher
and higher speed," said the American Automobile Association
recently. Last week, as more and more of 1956's new models hit the
showrooms, there was little indication that the automakers were paying
attention to A.A.A.'s horsepower fear. Plymouth announced a 200 h.p.
"Hy-Fire V8" to match Ford's 202 h.p. "Thunderbird
V-8"; Dodge and Mercury were boosted to 225-230 h.p., while
Chrysler and Lincoln were up to 285 h.p., with most of General Motors
still to come....